Leia's Nightmare
by ScarlettLovesRhett
Summary: Princess Leia begins to suffer from horrific nightmares after Han is frozen in carbonite. Could the nightmares be telling her something? Will there be a future with Han or will Jabba and the Empire keep them apart forever? R&R


Leia's Nightmare

 **A/N:** This is my first Star Wars story. Please be nice and do not strike me with a lightsaber. Let me know what you think and I will update soon.

The large room was dark, gloomy, cold and thick with uncertainty as the light glow of orange filled the still room that smelled of death. Han, Chewie, C-3PO and Leia were marched into the room as stormtroopers nipped at their heels with guns ready when needed.

"What's going on? Buddy." Han said with disgust as he leaned forward and asked his friend. His blood boiled as his once longtime friend as of a mere moments ago turned them over to Vader.

"You are being put into carbon freeze." Lando Calrissian replied bleakly. Not even bothering to look in Han's direction.

"WHAT!" Leia screamed in her head. How could someone be so heartless, so cruel and so full of hate? Vader and the empire were the epitome of each of these things. If it was possible, how could someone love or care for Vader? It baffled Leia to even think of such a thing.

"What if he doesn't survive? He is worth a lot to me." Boba Fett responded

Leia looked to Han with love and tenderness. It was as though no one else was in the room. They both looked to each other as if no one in the entire world mattered. With no words, Han just drank her in. For he knew this would be the last he would see of her.

In all the months Leia had known Han, she had always thought him big headed, full of himself and that his ego was so large no ship could contain it. At one point, he was a stuck up, half-witted, scruffy looking, nerfherder, but now things were different. Things had changed. She had changed.

"The empire will compensate you if he dies." Vader lowered his hand. "Put him in."

Leia's eyes blinked and she took her eyes off Han. "NO!" Leia cried out as she looked quickly to the deep voice. Her hair had smacked the side of her cheek due to the forceful turn. Darth Vader looked to her as so did everybody else. "You can't." Tears were threatening their ugly heads as they surfaced in her dark eyes. They soon however were replaced with anger.

"Perhaps you think he is being treated unfairly?" Silence filled the room as Leia bit back a response. "If you remember correctly your _highness_." Her title left his lips as though it were venom. "I do not take kindly to those who disobey me, step out of line or do not give me proper coordinates." He moved closer to her as his eyes locked with hers from behind the bleak mask.

The only time she felt tiny and timid was under his grip when he had kidnapped her. Using the IT-O Interrogator, she knew she barley stood a chance, but she had to try.

" _I've heard whispers about these droids — torture devices invented by twisted Imperial minds. It is said that they can deliver unimaginable pain. Pain so intense that it has never been experienced before — worse than pain from any disease or wound known in the universe._ "

 _Leia looked mortified as the black device hovered its way into her detention cell._

" _And now, your highness, we will discuss the location of your hidden Rebel base._ " _Darth Vader appeared in her cell moments later._

 _Fear gripped her body as she began to shake, but she would not break. "Never. You will never take over the base." The Rebel base secrecy relied on her._

" _You are going to talk one way or another your highness." Vader motioned with his hand for the device._

 _Moving forward, two stormtroopers held her down as she was injected with a powerful mind-altering hallucinogen that made her very susceptible to suggestion. With mere words from Darth Vader, Leia imagined herself in unbearable pain, though she was not undergoing any physical harm whatsoever…_

" _You can trust me. I am from the rebel alliance like yourself."_

 _Leia appeared dazed and weak from the burning injection. How she hated such torture. "You—you are from the alliance?" NO! It was all a trick! Brainwashing!_

" _Yes."_

" _They are—the plans—" her head began to ache from the injection and the room had begun to spin._

" _Yes, that is it. What did you do with the plans? Help us? What happened to the plans?"_

 _Leia did not respond. Vaders patience began to grow thin. He would give her one final chance and then her own undoing was in her hands. "Your father commands you tell us."_

" _Father."_

" _Yes. Tell me what you did with the plans."_

" _Father wouldn't— "the agony began to seep in as her cries grew deeper._

 _Enough! This was getting him nowhere. Torture was the only way to go. "You are now in pain. A world of pain. Tell me what I wish to know."_

" _No!"_

" _You are burning. It hurts. Your every nerve ending is hurting so!"_

" _No!" Leia cried out in pain as her body began to blister. Her hands began to tingle from the burning sensation._

" _Yes, you will tell me where the base is." Vader breathed. "Your body is burning hot as fire over takes your arms and legs. It burns so bad. You will tell me."_

" _NO!" Leia breathed heavy as she could feel the pain seeping into her skin. As she looked down, she witnessed her hands and arms were ablaze. Backing up as far as she could, she began to panic as she tried to withdraw from her hallucination. "OW!" it was getting worse every second. Her blood had begun to boil as her heart beat faster and faster. "PLEASE! MAKE IT STOP!" she cried out. She would never give up the base. "PLEASE!" tears began to run down her face as she tried to be strong. Each tear stung like drops of acid rain._

" _Where is the base! Where did you hide those plans? YOU WILL TELL ME!"_

" _No!" the pain was becoming too much._

" _You are dying inside. Your heart is bursting."_

 _The tightness in her chest grew worse as something wrapped around her heart. It grew tighter as her plus grew weaker. "OW!" her body began to shake from the lack of blood and oxygen. This couldn't be how it ended._

" _STOP!"_

 _Falling to her knees, Leia did her best to catch her breath. Her body hurt and ached. She felt broken and tired, but she was not going to give in to this torture._

…

" _General Tarkin, I should have excepted to find you holding Vaders leash. I recognized your stench when I was brought on board."_

" _I found it rather hard to not kill you Princess Leia."_

" _I'm surprise you have a heart."_

" _I do, I assure you. Not a very big one, but I do." General Tarkin smirked. "I wanted you to see this new weapon we have. The large laser can destroy anything from a single moon rock to a large life form."_

" _General we have arrived." A man's voice cut him off._

 _Perfect timing." An evil glair filled his dark eyes. "We are going to test it on your lovely little planet. Alderaan."_

" _No please we have no weapons of any kind. We are a peaceful planet."_

" _Then name the system." He stepped closer and Leia backed up an inch only to bump into Vader._

" _No, I will not name the system." She was strong. Vader's torture didn't work than neither would the Generals sinister plan._

" _Is everything in order?"_

" _Yes sir."_

" _Fire when ready."_

" _No, please."_

 _Name the system."_

" _Tatooine." Leia whispered as she looked away from her home planet._

" _There that wasn't so hard." The General turned from the princess and looked at the planet. "Prepare guns."_

" _WHAT!"_

" _You are far too trusting my dear. Tatooine is a desert planet. No one would put plans there."_

" _Preparing to fire."_

" _No, please! I beg you! Don't!" Moving swiftly, she reached out to stop him, but Vader drew her back with the force of his hand on her shoulder._

" _I'm sorry my dear, but with you lying well there is nothing else that can be done. You must be punished." With that the general gave the signal._

 _In a matter of seconds, Princess's Leia's home planet was gone. Right before her very eyes._

Shaking her head, Leia did her best to block out that terrible memory and that horrific torture. The pain and ultimately her home she felt dearly. Her people dying, because some heartless being wanted something she was not willing to give up. Her people died because of her! She had failed so many people and now she was failing the man she loved. Leia was brave and knew she was strong, but that memory revealed even she could become helpless at times. No matter how hard she fought to stay strong.

Even now she felt so helpless. Even though she was so strong. Feeling her wall crumble, Leia lowered her gaze and soon her head fell. Shaking it she did not utter a word. Instead she heard a deep throated laugh come from Vader.

"You bastared!" Han yelled in his head. He wanted to defend Leia, but he wasn't in the position to do so.

Chewie in the meantime began to growl and thrash around. Knocking Stormtroopers off the platform.

"Chewie stop! Chewie stop! Stop!" Han did his best to control his best furry friend. "Listen to me. Hey!" Hans voice drew Leia from her own turmoil. "Chewie this won't help me. Save your strength there will be another time."

Walking somberly over to Chewie Leia stood there. "The princess. You have to take care of her." He looked to him for a moment waiting an answer. "You hear me?"

Chewie answered with a high-pitched sound and nodded his head.

Turning his now full attention to the woman he loved. Han could feel his heart breaking. Which was new to him. He had begun to think that he really was in capable of loving anyone. Let alone a princess. However, less than four days ago, he had found himself falling in love with her. He now thought of her as a real leader of her people and not a stuck up princess.

Knowing he may never get another chance, he gave her a kiss so passionate that it could have been felt by the force. Taking in her scent and her taste, he was soon pulled away, but not before three simple words were said.

"I love you."

"I know."

As he was hauled away, her heart and her existence went with him. Dragged deep down into the cold, icee abase of the carbon machine. His love would remain with her the rest of her days.

As she stood there, their eyes locked and her heart truly broke, for she could see the tears that had appeared in Han Solo's eyes. She had never witnessed any sadness, just strength and resilience.

Wailing, Chewie did his best to break his prison. His best friend was counting on him. In more ways than one. " _The princess. You have to take care of her."_ As he though this, he felt two small hands wrap around his arm.

Leia had turned to her only confidante left. Without Han she felt empty, but she somehow knew she must carry on. She had to keep going for not only her sake, but for everyone that was counting on her and for Luke. She missed him terribly as well. Where was he? She need him. Now more than ever.

As Han was lowered down into the cold tundra, Leia did everything in her power to not run to him. Instead she looked onward with wretchedness as her lower lip quivered and her eyes grew large with tears once again. They however did not fall. Not yet at least.

While the room filled with smoke and creatures ran about, Leia buried her face into Chewie's arm. The soft fur was like a tissue waiting with sympathy. She couldn't hold it together another moment. Her sobs were suffocated by the sound of the machine. Only Chewie could feel the princess's heartbreak as his fur became wet with tears.

Within moments, a large claw withdrew from the ceiling and reached deep down into the icee darkness to retrieve Solo. As he came to the surface, Leia now looked on in horror as her love was incased in a thick concrete block.

Lando glanced towards the princess and the wookiee. He to felt mournful for his friend, but he dare not show it. He lowered his hand to have Han released from the claw. Crashing to the floor, Han appeared imprinted into his prison. Jumping, Leia gripped Chewie's arm and veered back.

Lando in the meantime checked his friend's prognoses. He prayed that for Leia's sake he was alive. If not, he had caused her lovers and his friends death. What a thought that was. Knowing you had killed his own friend and not only that, but betrayed everyone's trust. Everyone's except Vader's.

"Well Calrissian did he survive? Vader asked.

"Yes, he's alive and in perfect hibernation."

Leia let out a breath she had no idea she was holding.

"He's all yours bounty hunter." "Reset the chamber for Skywalker."

A man approached. "Skywalker just landed my Lord."

"Good see that he finds his way in here." Lando reached for Leia's arm, but she pulled away. "Take the princess and wookiee to my ship." Vader replied.

"You said they would be left in this city under my supervision." Lando responded quickly as he looked to the Lord.

"I am altering the deal. Pray that I don't alter it any further." Turning, Vader left the vicinity.

….

Racing towards the Bounty Hunters ship, Leia, Lando and Chewie did their best to rescue Han. However, it was to no prevail. The ship flew through the sky as Leia stood there looking on in shook.

He was gone. Taken to God knows where. Cutting off a gasp that clenched in her throat, Leia continued to watch as the ship disappeared from her sight.

…

"HAN!" Jerking awake, Leia sat up with fear ripping through her body. Her body shook from the appalling vision, as sweat poured down her face, neck and arms. Gasping, she did her best to catch her breath. All the while the sheets stuck to her body as her hair remained damp from perspiration.

It was all a terrible, terrible dream—a nightmare. A walking, breathing nightmare.

Glancing at the clock the red numbers flashed her way. It read 3:30 A.M. Sighing, Leia threw the sheets off her. Walking over to the window she looked out into the darkness. The stars twinkled as if everything was right in the universe. Her entire universe had been shattered within moments, and there she was trying to put it back together.

Resting her forehead against the cool glass, she tried to collect her thoughts from her sleepy, foggy brain. Fearing sleep, Leia took several deep breaths and did her best to think of Han.

" _Hey, your worship, I was only trying to help."_

" _Will you please stop calling me that?" she asked as she placed her hand against her lips. The stung of the cut spread to the tips of her fingers._

" _Sure Leia."_

" _So difficult sometimes." Leia shook her head._

" _I do I really do. You could be a little nice though. Come on I'm alright sometimes."_

" _Occasionally. To be a scoundrel." Leia looked up into Han's handsome, rugged face._

" _Scoundrel?" He felt offended as he took hold of her hand._

" _Stop that." Leia demanded._

" _Stop what?"_

" _My hands are dirty."_

" _My hands are dirty to. What are you afraid of?" He continued massaging her hand._

 _A lot of things. Leia told herself. "Afraid?" she questioned him with a raised eyebrow._

" _You're afraid of scoundrels like me?"_

" _I happen to like nice men." Leia answered. Not those who go galivanting off in some rusty, busted up piece of junk._

" _I'm a nice man." Han whispered to her. He drew closer to her and she did not bother to move or to free herself of his gentle grasp._

" _Very nice." As the words left her lips their lips met. Before she knew it, she was kissing him and the world stood still. For the first time, ever Leia felt whole._

Coming out of the flashback, Leia sighed and turned back to her bed. Walking over to it, she climbed back in and felt the rest of the bed turning cold. For the first time in a long while, she truly felt alone, lost and scared.

Tears pricked at the back of her dark moist eyes. _Get a hold of yourself Leia. Princess's don't cry. They are strong, brave. You already became vulnerable once._ Feeling her lower lip quiver, Leia, bit the inside of her lip. Biting it hard enough blood lingered on her tongue.

Yes, princesses did. Especially when their heart was shattered into million pieces. Laying her head back upon the damp pillow, Leia shut her eyes. Only to have a single tear escape from its prison.


End file.
